Reclaimed Creations
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As an alumna of The School in Rose Valley, which is steeped in the ethos of the Arts and Crafts Movement, I learned the joy of creating functional beauty for use in daily life. My bio-physiologist father taught me to celebrate the intrinsic interconnectedness of all things, to treasure nature and to appreciate the variety of cultures that exist in the world. These values inspire my art and my life.

I construct wearable art from reclaimed wool sweaters. The hats, mittens and scarves are stained glass windows of color, texture and 3-dimensional accents. I serge, topstitch and hand finish the seams and attach all ornaments by hand. Each item is fully lined in fleece, which curls around the bottom edge to frame the face and to prevent the wool from touching the wearer’s skin. A handmade flower, leaves or pompom, two buttons, six glass beads and an adjusting ribbon and stopper complete the hats.

By repurposing something as familiar as a wool sweater into a warm and whimsical hat or a pair of toasty mittens, my work provokes puzzled smiles and the urge to reach out and touch, which resolve into chuckles of recognition.